


But What About You?

by batsgalore



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Bonding, Father and Son, Feels, Future, Gen, Slight fluff, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 23:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13258749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batsgalore/pseuds/batsgalore
Summary: Damian Wayne is finally up to inherit the cape and cowl after Gotham has lost the Batman and gone into chaos. But where he thought he wanted it his whole life, he now doesn’t know what he wants when his father sits him down to talk about the fate of the Dark Knight.





	But What About You?

It had been nine years since the Batman had died. Not Bruce Wayne, but Batman. The world held their breath and believed that he would come back. He had to. But the mantle of the Bat had been under countless men for only a few years before it finally withered into history. People wouldn’t accept the fact that he was gone for good, that Gotham would burn without his presence. And it did. Gotham went through hell and stayed there, there was no entitled Dark Knight to watch over them, no protector from evil.

Bruce had given up the mantle many years prior, giving it to Dick Grayson, then to Tim Drake. Jason, however, was nowhere to be found. He was next in line to assume the cape and cowl but he pushed it away, seeing no fortune in being something he knew he couldn’t live up to. Dick was done with the life of crime fighting at that time, he had his wife and two kids, his feet finally landing on a safe ground. Tim attempted to give up that life and live on with his own family. Yet, misfortune always found its way back into Tim’s dark life, granting him the disability to live happily. He continued under Red Robin, the cruel and brutal antihero that no one dared to cross. All that was left now was Damian Wayne, the blood son.

***

Bruce and Damian sat in the Wayne Manor library in silence. They were almost too far apart to begin conversation. The room held a slight tension, both men knowing what debate was soon to come. For the last two months, the same debate would rise between them, pushing them further and further away from each other.

“Damian,” Bruce’s aged voice spoke, breaking the silence that once rung in their ears, “Come over here, son. We need to talk.”

Damian looked up from his book that he was eagerly reading. He looked to his father a long time as he tried to scan his face for danger. He knew they were going to talk, they’d been in silence for too long to not strike conversation. He stood and closed his book as he walked over to a small couch across from Bruce.

“Yes, Father?” He sighed when he plopped into the plush sofa.

“We need to talk about who is going to be Bat-“

“Father, I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, I am not becoming Batman,” Damian cut off, “So if this is about that, know that it is a waste of your breath.”

Bruce stared at his son and blinked. His wrinkled face remained unmoved by Damian’s reminder, “Okay.”

They continued in their silence as Damian reopened his book to continue his chapter. He felt a tinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He hated that feeling, it being the main reason why he avoided this very conversation. His father wanted to give him something, something he’s wanted his entire life since the moment he discovered who his father was. But Damian didn’t want that, not right now. He didn’t need to be reminded that his father was human, that old age would soon take his soul. That it would take his father away from him. Bruce insisted on the discussion at every given opportunity, every moment he was with his son. What Bruce hadn’t noticed was that it was driving them apart in their last days together. All he worried about was Gotham, his city that he had protected for 35 years. But Damian wasn’t worried about Gotham right now, he didn’t even care what the rest of the world was going through. He wanted to be with Bruce for the limited time they had to spend.

“Father...”Damian looked up from his book, “I hope you know that I do want to talk to you. Just...not about the fate of the Batman.”

“Hm.” Bruce replied.

“Must it be the only thing we converse about? Can it not be anything else? There are other things more important than Batman, Father!” Damian’s voice rose in anger. But he wasn’t angry, not really. Rather, he was afraid, confused. He wanted to tell Bruce how he truly felt, how he loved him and couldn’t care less for Batman.

“It is important, Damian!” Bruce snapped as he flung his arms into the air, “Look at Gotham, look at how it’s burning without him! I knew this day would come where I couldn’t carry the mantle anymore. I knew that someone had to carry it in the end, and that someone was you. The others have tried, even Dick failed. So now all my faith is in you, son. You have that strength.” 

Damian frowned at Bruce. He realized he had no escape now, he was defeated. Bruce was so desperate to care about his city that he hadn’t bothered to worry about he and his son’s relationship. 

“But what if...what if i don’t want that strength?” He close to whispered.

Bruce blinked again. This time, out of speechlessness. This was a whole new side of his son that he never saw. Where was the self-entitled Damian Wayne he knew? The heir to the throne of the Demon’s Head, to Batman? The power-craving child that went to the extremes to prove his worth? Bruce had to take a step back to understand why Damian had been so emotional in this moment.

“I do want to please you, Father, I don’t want you to feel like I’m being rebellious and insensitive. It’s just that I thought that...maybe we...I just...” Damian stuttered as he struggled to find his words. He didn’t know how to express how he felt, it was too hard to get it off his chest. He was speaking to the former Batman, he couldn’t risk presenting himself as weak.

“Damian, just say what you want,” Bruce spoke in a softer tone. He wanted to see what was wrong with his son, why he was acting so different. Yelling at him wouldn’t get him anywhere.

“I just think that right now, you shouldn’t stress about who holds the name of Batman. Right now, you should think about being happy for the remainder of your life because Gotham will be here forever; you will not. Forget about Batman for a moment and focus on Bruce Wayne.”

Bruce furrowed his brow at Damian. He was even more confused now.

“You...care about my happiness?” Bruce’s voice wavered.

And Damian’s heart broke. His father sat and stared at him with a face in a mixture of surprise and unbelief. Damian never wanted it to come to this in their rough relationship, to his father being unable to comprehend Damian’s true love for him. It showed on his face that he genuinely never knew that Damian actually wanted him to be happy in life, even if it was a dysfunctional happiness. 

“Yes, Father...I’ve always cared for your happiness,” he assured. He thought Father would have already known that. He’s scavenged for lost treasures in the most forbidden places to impress his father, he has killed, he has fought, and he has even died for him. How did Father not understand ? 

“Hm.”

Damian just sighed and closed his eyes. He was embarrassed yet disappointed in his father for not reading between the lines. They called him the World’s Greatest Detective and yet, he couldn’t even solve this simple problem. Damian sat and took a deep breath for a moment before he reopened his eyes.

“Is this truly what you desire?” Damian asked firmly.

“Is wha-“

“My becoming Batman. Is it really what you desire?”

“It’s not about what I want, Damian, it’s-“

“Answer the question, Father,” Damian gritted his teeth, “Is it or is it not what you desire?”

Bruce hesitated a moment before he spoke again, “...No.”

“You...what?” 

“No, Damian,” Bruce sighed, “This is not what I truly desire.”

It was Damian’s turn to hush with speechlessness. The conversation was full of surprises. But these weren’t the surprises that should be hidden.

“When I was young—when my parents died, “ Bruce began while Damian’s mouth was still sealed, “I swore to war against all criminals and those who prey on the weak. I told myself that no one should experience what I did, that no one would if I had anything to do with it. That includes you, Damian. If you absolutely refuse to do this, I understand and I won’t put you under that pressure anymore. But I know that deep down within you, you do want to help the world. You want to tame it, herd it like a shepherd for your name’s sake. That’s why I’ve been coming to you constantly with this, I want to give you that opportunity, son.”

Damian leaned back into his seat. His face displayed the internal battle that was taking place in his mind. He felt selfish to want his father all to himself. He felt that he was taking the protection the world had through Batman for granted. Yet he couldn’t just throw him away, Bruce was his father and he needed him more now than ever. He never knew it would come to this: choosing between Batman and Father. The universe seemed to constantly dismiss the desired lives of those who put the rest of the world before themselves. One would think that a hero would have the refreshing feeling of invincibility or the pride of doing what should be done. But Damian knew it was exact the opposite. Here he was, battling with himself on which choice was the right choice. He never wanted it to come to this.

“I have nothing to say. I’m unsure as to what I want yet, but I do know that I want you to be happy.” Damian admitted, refusing to make eye contact with Bruce.

Bruce gestured for Damian to sit on the couch he was on so they could be next to each other. Damian stood up hesitantly and walked slowly to sit beside his elderly father. Once Damian was comfortably seated, Bruce turned to face him and spoke, “Damian, I know you...at least, I believe I do. And the son I know to have is determined and dedicated to his future, always looking ahead. You’re still young and you’re still trying to figure out what you want and who you are. But what you have always seemed to have wanted since I’ve known you—sometimes good, sometimes bad—was power. Right now, son, I’m giving you the power to choose your path, despite what I may say or think. Don’t worry about me, do what you know is best. Whether it’s best for you or for the fate of this forsaken city.”s

At that Damian smiled. Weary and pained, but a smile nonetheless. 

“Thank you, Father, I will.” He nodded. Bruce smiled back and squeezed Damian’s shoulder before pulling him into a hug. It was tense for a moment but when the moment passed, the father and son shared a time of happiness together. Whether it was the first or the last.


End file.
